Where There's A Will There's A Way!

Okay... I've made so many different types of icing I'm getting weary of it. I just plain DO NOT like buttercream icing. It's too thick, sickeningsweet, and heavy for my taste buds. I really like a lighter icing.

I've tried IMBC, SMBC, and boiled flour and crisco icings. I've done cream cheese and I've become a laboratory with all the experimenting I've done. BUT I keep running into the same issues over and over again. When you stack the cake, it doesn't have the stability that buttercream offers.

I know I'm dealing with trade offs and my favorite icings have been on cakes that were not covered in fondant or stacked. Which opens up a whole world of possibilities.

I'm looking for the happy medium. I LOVE Rich's Bettercreme but it is not available on the consumer level.

I'm no bakery. I do occasional cakes for family and friends. Right now it is a hobby so the whole bulk ordering thing is kind of a bit much.

What I want to know for those of you who have experience. Will Rich's Bettercreme provide me the lighter texture but stability I'm seeking?

IF it will, who's the best person to order from that sells it frozen and in smaller quantities so I can fit it in my freezer. How long will it last once I get it here, break it open, and have left overs?

If you say NO to bettercreme, does anyone understand where I'm coming from and have any suggestions? I'm asking you business owners because you've got LOTS of experience icing cakes and trying to please people!

I haven't used it, but I'm guessing it would be quite firm (thinking of what egg whites do to royal icing). I'd say it could be worth a try to see how it tastes and works for you. Could you use some butter to cut that shortening though *bleuch*?

My BC icing calls for merenge powder.....canned egg whites. I'm not a huge icing fan, but I really like my BC icing. Let me throw this at you........if you like working with BC, but don't like it's taste....what are your friends and family saying? Do they hate it? If it is just you.......and everyone LOVES it........then you should scrape yours off of your slice and let them enjoy your magnificate creation. They key is to please your customers....first. Not at all trying to be ugly here...just throwing in my 2 cents...or less. LOL..If you really want to fall in love with BC, I would suggest (as I did) you keep that science lab open until you find the one that you like. I bet your friends & family LOVE your cakes. Deb

shill - I am guessing that recipe will taste just as sweet as the buttercreams that you do not like, it is very similar to WIlton's recipe and that is definately sickeningly sweet. IMO the liquid bettercream that you whip is too soft and will not stand up to rigorus uses. I haven't used the premade from Sam's club though, not sure what that is like.

I just tried seriouscakes frosting and it is a lot less sweet than the wilton bc that I first tried, this is it:

Yum! Something I didn't put in the video-you may need more or less liquid depending on the weather. Very hot and humid out-add less cream, very dry-add more. And if you're wondering about the corn syrup, it doesn't add to the sweetness of the frosting but it does add elasticity to help keep the frosting from cracking and adds a nice 'gleam' to the cake.

I love Indydebis recipe, I subsitute water for milk though so it doesn't expire, & I use 1/2 cup liquid instead of 1/3 cup. Lots of high speed mixing to get it smooth & creamy. 1/2 vanilla & 1/2 butter flavoring cuts back on the "very vanilla" effect. Or flavor it with rootbeer flavoring or butterscotch or anything else you want. i think the liquid flavoring that people choose to use has a big effect on the outcome of the flavor.

There are just so many options....with our without butter.....with our without shortening. My first goal was to find a crusting recipe whichi in my case is 1:1 ratio of butter & shortening. I found that playing with the extracts made me love my icing. I myself got so frustrated making a big 'ol batch of yet another "great" recipe just to find out that it wasn't all that great....to me. I'm just glad I have finally found a recipe. I have so many other challenges of the cake decorating world yet to deal with. But I do love it....wish I was baking a cake right now.

I agree with the listen to your customers. If they are saying it's too sweet, time to start trying other recipes. If they love it, stick with it. You gotta do what sells.

I started decorating by working at Sam's Club and we used to have a regular customer that decorated cakes from her home. She would just buy a bucket of buttercream and a bucket of Rich's Bettercream and mix the two in equal parts. She said her customers loved it. Granted, they sell the icing in 5 lb buckets, so you might have a few issues with quantity if you don't have regular orders.

I also use seriouscake's icing recipe. The first time I tried it though, I had to substitute almond flavoring instead of vanilla since I didn't have any clear vanilla. My family loves it and now I always use almond in my bc.

Indydebi's is really good. I can't remember if hers call for salt, but I add salt to cut the sweetness down. I don't like really sweet incing either.Also, with Indiydebi's recipe adding the dream whip really makes it light and fluffy instead of heavy and greasy.Also, with her recipe, instead of using milk, I use equal amts of water with coffee creamer. I haven't ventured out with the flavored creamers, I just use the original for now.

I can't help you with the icing problem because I use a very sweet buttercream, but I might be able to help you with Rich's bettercream. I'm in NE Ohio and I can buy it at GFS in one quart amounts. I checked their website and they have some stores in Pittsburgh and Monroeville. I'm not sure how far away from you that is, but if it's close you might want to give them a try.

If you are able to find Bettercream in Southeast PA, please share where you get it. There isn't a GFS in this area, and I have checked all the local grocery stores (Giant, Redners, Genuardi's, Acme, ShopRite, Walmart, and Costco). None have it. There are so many great recipes on here using it that I am going crazy trying to find it locally. I can't help with buttercream though. We like it sweet

Aw c'mon, butter is so good though! My recipe is just a twist on Wiltons buttercream, with the 2 cups of fat to 2 lbs. of powdered sugar. It sounds so appetizing doesn't it, referring to the shortening and butter as fat

I had always used my own BC recipe until I tried Sams Buttercream. I taste tested it on my family & it tied with mine. Have been told by customers that it was better than "store bought" icings--hehehehe! I flavor it with just a little almond. Sure saves me the headache & time of making it like I used to. It does not have to be refrigerated and lasts for months. It also crusts very nicely & quick. IMHO